L. Todd Rose (born November 28, 1974) is the co-founder and president of the Center for Individual Opportunity[1] and a faculty member at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.[2] He is a scientist in developmental psychology known for his work applying dynamical systems principles to the study of development, intelligence, and learning,[3] and for his contributions to the field of Mind, Brain, and Education (Educational Neuroscience[4]). His current focus is in the area of the Science of the Individual,[5] with an emphasis on applying insights about individuality to issues of human potential, talent development, and the design of social institutions.[6] He is the author of Square Peg and The End of Average.

In an excerpt from the book, Rose relates that in the 1940s, after multiple flying accidents, the US Air Force required adjustable airplane cockpit equipment when measurements revealed zero pilots were in the average range of 10 body measurements from a population of 4,063 pilots. The measurements revealed that with only three of the ten size measurements, neck circumference, thigh circumference and wrist circumference, fewer than 3.5 per cent of pilots would fit within the average sizes on the three measurements. If a cockpit was designed for an average pilot, the cockpit fit no pilot.[11] Rose's TEDx talk, "The Myth of Average", communicates the basic principles of the science of the individual and show how its findings can be harnessed by parents, teachers, managers, and individuals to improve performance.[12]

To advance research into the science of the individual and use its findings to influence educational and management policies, Rose co-founded the Center for Individual Opportunity (CIO),[13] a 501c3 nonprofit. The CIO encourages educators, businesses, and the public to support the design of more effective learning environments, improve methods for identifying, developing, and rewarding employee talent, and lay down more pathways leading to individual success.